‘To be honest, I really regret debuting as Infinite.’

Silence.

  The lacking of voice in the room seemed to have depressed the people inside it. The stiffness in the air reverberated around the room and bounced off the walls in stillness.

  No one talked. The exhaling and inhaling of breath was evidently audible in the enclosed place. Not a soul dared to move, the air was getting thicker and thicker as the solemn atmosphere started to wriggle its way into everyone's mind.

A person's breath was ominously shallow, in contrast with the others. The absence of noise was pressing him and the tension was too overwhelming. He could feel the suffocating pressure wafting from the silence, and from the looks of the other members, even though they were vexing very hard not to eye him.

 He started this mess; he knew it. Sighing, he pulled himself up from his sitting position and decided—perhaps—to clarify himself. He hesitated, waited for a second to clear his mind, and opened his mouth, but nothing was voiced out.

  Everyone looked at him in unison, and he thought he hasn’t imagined the disappointment flickering across their leader’s face. Hanging in his hand in shame, he could only make out a few incoherent words and splutters of 'Sorry's, before breaking his voice into sobs.

  Sung Yeol regretted his words immediately.

Before he was able to apologize, Myung Soo already stood up with a clearly hurt expression.

  The sudden breakdown of Sung Yeol should have made Myung Soo worry, but yet, he was sitting still, body stiffened, seemingly oblivious to the sobs Sung Yeol gave.

  Sung Gyu was the first one to react. Almost jumping up, he made way through the motionless members, passed Myung Soo, and held the tall choding  in his arms. Then, one by one, all the other members went to comfort Sung Yeol.

  Except Myung Soo.

  He saw Howon eyeing him and tried to indicate something. Perhaps he was telling him to come over to see how Sung Yeol was doing. But Myung Soo didn't care. He mouthed towards Howon, ' If he really wanted to abandon s, then go on. It's none of my business anyway.’

  He brushed away the bitterness in his heart. Those scars that were inflicted by Sung Yeol’s uncaring words, and those bruises that could never been mended.

  He went into his room without a word.

  ‘What do you mean by, regretting your choice?’ Myung Soo stared at the panic-stricken boy in front of him.

  ‘I...I don't...I am not thinking like that....’ Sung Yeol stammered.

  ‘Hey.’

  Myung Soo peeked from his blanket and looked up. The face of Sung Yeol occupied most of his sight.  Myung Soo tucked his head into his blanket silently again, not willing to look at Sung Yeol in any ways.

  ‘Hey...'  Sung Yeol's voice grew weaker and weaker. 'Myung-ah, listen to me. Please.’

  ‘Why do I have to?’ After a short silence, Myung Soo answered.

  ‘I didn't mean that...I mean, the to be honest part. I didn't regret my choice. Not at all. You know I was just joking, right?’

  ‘...That's not a good way to joke.’

  ‘I am sorry, Myung Soo. I know it is not , but the words just come out and...’

  ‘It hurts, Yeollie. It hurts...’

  Myung Soo whimpered. Sung Yeol slowly pulled off his blanket. This time Myung Soo didn't protest, but his eyes were full of tears, threatening to fall.

  ‘What—Myung Soo, why are you crying? What happened? Are you all right?’ Sung Yeol scurried forward, but Myung Soo simply brushed off his hand.

  ‘I didn't make you cry, did I? It was just a prank.  I didn't mean any harm,’ Sung Yeol blurted out before realizing that he had spoken a secret.

  ‘What...A prank?'  Confusion was reflected in his melancholy eyes.

  ‘Um, Sung Gyu hyung created the prank. He said I have to choose one person to mess with. You are so easy to trick so I chose you....’ Sung Yeol said with his head hung in shame. ‘I am sorry...’

  ‘So... everything was a prank? Even the crying part?’

  ‘Well,’ Sung Yeol could hardly hide his embarrassment. ‘I thought you are really angry at me so yeah...I guess I teared up a bit.’

  Myung Soo sank into a fit of abrupt laughter. Sung Yeol fixed a confused gaze upon him. ‘Wh--what is going on?’

   It took a few more seconds for the laughter to die. Catching his breath, Myung Soo looked at Sung Yeol with a big smile etched upon his face, completely contrasting to the previous expression.

  ‘Yeollie!' He threw his arms around his shoulders. 'I was pranking you as well! To be honest, I had a bet with Sung Gyu hyung. He told me to pretend to be sad to prank one of the members. I thought I was a hidden camera act or something so I chose you because you are my best friend. I can't believe you actually fell for the prank!’

  ‘Well, I guess I am an easy target as well...' Sung Yeol scratched his head. 'Is it true that Sung Gyu hyung started up all these mess? ’

  ‘Yes. But I don't think he would have guessed that we chose each other as targets!' Myung Soo grinned. 'It was quite fun actually, isn't it?’

  ‘Quite an extraordinary experience,'  Sung Yeol replied with a shrug. 'But to be honest, I don't think I would want to try this again!’

  ‘Indeed. This has caused us so much trouble,' Myung Soo responded.

  ‘A trouble to understand each other more,'Sung Yeol smiled.  'At least I have learnt that you are a great actor.’

  ‘And I have learnt that you are an easy target to trick.’

   Both of them burst into laughters.

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